Gambel's quail

Scientific name: Callipepla gambelii

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Males are distinctive with a black face mask, white forehead stripe, chestnut crown with forward-curling plume, and rufous flanks with white spots; females are duller brown-grey without the bold head markings. Both sexes show scaled underparts and a compact, rounded body shape.

Size and weight

Males typically weigh 85–130 g with body length 24–27 cm; females weigh 75–115 g and measure 23–25 cm.

Habitat

Gambel's quail occupy arid and semi-arid scrublands, desert washes, and foothills with scattered brush and cacti. They prefer areas with access to water sources and dense cover for roosting, typically from sea level to 1,500 m elevation.

Distribution

Native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, ranging from southern Nevada through Arizona, New Mexico, and into Sonora. They prefer bajadas, washes, and desert scrub with scattered trees and shrubs.

Diet

Gambel's quail feed on seeds, plant matter, and insects; they forage heavily on forbs and shrub seeds in fall and winter, and increase invertebrate consumption during breeding season.

Behaviour

Highly social covey birds that are most active at dawn and dusk, spending midday under shade cover. They run rather than fly when flushed, regrouping quickly with distinctive assembly calls; roost communally on low branches at night.

Hunting tips

Glass washes and open desert early or late in the day to locate coveys; listen for assembly calls to pinpoint birds. Approach upwind and use terrain folds for cover; be prepared for explosive flushes followed by running birds. Drive coveys into dense brush where they will hold and flush individually or in small groups.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 2 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.